May 31, 2010

Swedish North Sea herring fishery gets certification

The Swedish Pelagic Producers Organisation (SPPO) North Sea herring fishery has been certified under the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard for sustainable and well-managed fisheries.

Many North Sea herring fisheries have already obtained MSC certification and with the certification of this fishery, the whole Swedish quota for North Sea herring will now be caught and landed by MSC certified vessels.

The SPPO North Sea herring fishery comprises a total of 12 vessels operating as pair trawlers in the North Sea. Herring is an iconic fish in Sweden and members of the SPPO sell their catch to buyers in Sweden and to fish auctions and processors across Northern Europe.

Other SPPO fisheries are also demonstrating their commitment to sustainability; SPPO Western Baltic herring and sprat and North East Atlantic mackerel are currently undergoing assessment against the MSC standard.

"Our North Sea herring is now finally certified and we will continue our work towards getting our other pelagic fisheries certified.  We are aiming for responsible, sustainable and conscientious fishing practices, a fact demonstrated by this MSC-certification of our herring fishery. We are very happy our sustainable fishing practices go hand in hand with market demands," said Björn Lindblad from the SPPO.

Camiel Derichs, MSC Manager for Northern Europe congratulated the SSPO and its members on obtaining the certification of their fishery.

"MSC certified North Sea herring is in high demand in The Netherlands, Germany and in Scandinavian markets and this achievement of SPPO will no doubt help to satisfy that demand," he stated.